How to Change a Flat Tyre

1. Find a Safe Location

Pull over to a safe, flat, firm surface away from traffic. Avoid soft ground or slopes. Turn on hazard lights and apply the handbrake.

⚠️ NEVER change a tyre on a motorway hard shoulder. Use emergency phone to call for help.

2. Make Your Vehicle Safe

• Put the car in 1st gear (manual) or Park (automatic)
• Apply handbrake firmly
• Place warning triangle 45m behind your vehicle
• Put on hi-vis vest
• Get all passengers out and away from the road

3. Get Your Tools and Spare

Remove the spare tyre, jack, and wheel wrench from the boot. Check the spare tyre has adequate pressure (you can't change a flat onto another flat!).

Tip: Your car's handbook shows exactly where the jack goes and how to use it.

4. Loosen the Wheel Nuts (Before Jacking)

Important: Loosen the wheel nuts BEFORE raising the car. They'll be too tight to loosen once the wheel is off the ground.

• Remove the wheel trim/hub cap if fitted
• Turn each nut about half a turn anti-clockwise
• Don't remove them completely yet
• You may need to stand on the wrench for leverage

5. Position the Jack

Place the jack at the correct jacking point (check your handbook - there's usually a reinforced point near each wheel). Wind the jack until it just touches the car but doesn't lift it yet.

⚠️ Using the wrong jacking point can damage your car's body or chassis.

6. Raise the Car

Slowly jack the car up until the flat tyre is about 10cm off the ground. This gives you room to fit the inflated spare tyre.

⚠️ Never put any part of your body under a car supported only by a jack.

7. Remove the Wheel

Unscrew the wheel nuts completely and place them somewhere safe. Pull the wheel straight off and lay it flat on the ground.

8. Fit the Spare Tyre

Lift the spare onto the hub. Line up the holes with the wheel studs. Push the wheel fully onto the hub.

Tip: The spare wheel is heavy - about 20kg. Lift with your legs, not your back.

9. Hand-Tighten the Wheel Nuts

Screw the wheel nuts on by hand, tightening them in a diagonal pattern (like a star). This ensures the wheel sits evenly on the hub. Tighten as much as you can by hand.

10. Lower the Car

Carefully wind the jack down until the tyre just touches the ground but the car's weight isn't fully on it yet.

11. Fully Tighten the Wheel Nuts

With the wheel on the ground, use the wrench to fully tighten the nuts in a diagonal pattern. Make them as tight as you can - you may need to stand on the wrench.

Tightening pattern: If you tighten one nut, do the opposite one next, then repeat.

12. Remove the Jack and Pack Up

Lower the jack completely and remove it. Replace the wheel trim if you have one. Put the flat tyre, jack, and tools back in the boot. Remove the warning triangle.

✓ Job done! But read the important notes below before driving off.